Joseph Reed

Joseph Reed (27 August 1741-5 March 1785) was Governor of Pennsylvania from 1 December 1778 to 16 November 1781, succeeding George Bryan and preceding William Moore.

Biography
Joseph Reed was born in Trenton, New Jersey in 1741, and he was educated by Richard Stockton before studying law in London from 1763 to 1765. In 1775, at the start of the American Revolutionary War, he became a Continental Army colonel and aide-de-camp to George Washington. He also became Adjutant-General of the Continental Army, although he betrayed Washington's trust by joining Charles Lee in questioning Washington's leadership abilities. Reed served as a member of the Continental Congress from 1775 to 1778 and as Governor of Pennsylvania from 1778 to 1781, defeating William Moore twice before Moore succeeded the term-limited Reed in 1781. During his term as governor, he abolished slavery in the state, prosecuted Benedict Arnold, and awarded war veterans with half-pay after their service was done. He died in 1785.